Guppy aquarium fish (photo): Bursts of bright colors in the green thicket of algae

Classification

View: Guppy

Gender: Pecilia

Family: Pecilian

Order: Carp-like

Class: Rayfish

Type: Chordates

Kingdom: Animals

Domain: Eukaryotes

Life expectancy: an average of 3 years in home aquarium, in nature – about a year or less.

Guppies – fish that can enchant with colorful and sophistication.

From the point of view of specialists, they are the simplest maintenance and care of aquarium fish. They are Perfect for a gift for a child.

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At the same time, it will be interesting for an adult to observe for the life of these bright representatives of the peculiarities.

Every aquarium lover heard about guppy fish. Small but incredibly colorful and brisk, these pets will please as beginners, and professionals in this matter.

Photos of these aquarium fish, especially males with chic with veil tails, it can cause admiration and indispensable desire to learn more about them.

Adult male tail-guppy

Content

1 Habitat
2 Characteristic
3 Appearance
4 Features
5 Nutrition
6 Reproduction
7 Maintaining breed cleanliness
8 Aquarium Maintenance

Habitat

Initially, these fish lived in freshwater bodies of Brazil, Venezuela and Guiana. Gradually, they began to artificially settle in other rivers and lakes.

This was done in order to reduce the population of malaria mosquitoes. As it turned out, guppy fish gladly eat their larvae.

Guppies in nature are completely unlike the inhabitants of the home aquariums. Males and females are smaller, and the color is not so luxurious

Important! Guppy aquarium fish bred in artificial conditions, significantly different from their natural look. The difference is not only in color, but also in huge variety of tail shapes.

Today, acclimatized guppies even live in the Moscow River, reservoirs of Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Tver and Rybinsk.

Characteristic

These aquarium fish got their name thanks to the priest from England – John Guppy.

He first made a report on them in 1886 to members Royal community.

And although his stories about fish that do not spawn, but give birth fry was laughed at, studying this species of viviparous fish not over.

Interesting fact! Guppy is the first fish who traveled to space. In addition, during his stay on a spaceship in a special aquarium, the fishes gave birth offspring, which was then studied by scientists for a long time. But, unfortunately, all the materials were classified.

Guppies – very peaceful and quite unpretentious in care fish. But in some cases, males can bully each other in fight for the female.

This usually does not cause serious damage, but the tails may to be battered.

Males, when flaunting in front of females, can fluff up their tail

For the guppies, it’s best to choose the peace-loving ones. fish. Most often these are small catfish. Do not hook on them such amphibians as axolotls.

Interesting! Guppy fish rejected breeders are often used as feed for those kept in aquariums of piranhas.

It is ideal to plant a few pairs of guppies in 20-30 liters. At a small amount does not even have to install a filter and aeration.

It is enough to periodically replace the water and provide good lighting. However, to achieve the most spectacular results, it’s not worth letting it go.

Appearance

For the first time having seen a couple, one cannot but note a certain injustice. After all, males are much more beautiful than females. Last completely inconspicuous.

Females have a grayish color and the usual type of tails, which also painted faded.

Males are truly beautiful: their veil tails with the most a variety of colors are able to inspire.

At the same time, male fish are much smaller: in length they grow up to 3-4 cm. While females can reach 6 cm.

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Guppy males look much more luxurious than females. Them The main value is a luxurious tail, in which they can spill all colors of the rainbow

Important! To preserve the beauty of the tails males, it is recommended not to forget about the periodic change of water. Good lighting is also very important.

The following types of rocks are distinguished:

Fantail;
Veil;
Veil-scarf;
Carpet;
Red-tailed half-black also known as Berlin;
Roundtail
Tape;
Leopard
Smaragdian, also called Winner’s guppy;
Scarf;
Mesh.

Males are distinguished by the presence of gonopodia – a special organ, which is formed during maturation of an individual from the anal fin.

Features

Although the description of these aquarium fish often shows the phrase “easy to care”, it should be remembered that even simple to pets have their own characteristics.

First of all, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the life span and the sizes of individuals directly depend on the temperature of the water.

In addition, it changes the gestational age in females and the period ripening males.

If the temperature is high enough (27 to 30 degrees Celsius), the lifespan is about a year, and the size of individuals are getting smaller.

Pregnancy of females lasts less. To increase the life span guppy fish, it is recommended to maintain the temperature in the range from 22 to 25 degrees Celsius.

The photo shows the female and male. Adults significantly differ from each other

Important! Failure to comply with basic conditions keeping fish can cause them to appear aggression. It may also be caused by the addition of some chemicals into the water.

Guppies are live-bearing fish. The period of “gestation” of fry is approximately 1-1.5 months. Moreover, the older the female, the she has a brood more.

Fries are born fully formed and ready for independent life.

Another feature is that the female can bring offspring, even if the male has not been around for a long time.

Often, when buying a female in a pet store, you can expect offspring in within 1-1.5 months.

Food

The most favorite food of these aquarium fish is bloodworm. Although in fact, the fish are absolutely omnivorous.

On average, one adult male eats from 10 to 20 pcs per day. medium bloodworms. The female should receive at least 3-5 larvae.

In addition to this type of feed, you can give plankton, asplanha, annelids, lower plants, as well as growths on seaweed.

It’s best not to give all the food at once, but to share the food in several tricks.

The first meal should take place no earlier than half hours after turning on the light, and the last – no later than after hour before turning off the lights.

Breeding

Breeding fish occurs without any problems. Of course, read the description and care recommendations anyway necessary.

Females can give birth several times after one fertilization. On average, their gestation period is between 30 up to 45 days.

Duration is primarily affected by water temperature.

In addition to the term, the number of fry varies. To this factor affects age, body size.

The first time being fertilized, the female brings on average about 10-15 fry. Further, the amount increases and may reach up to hundreds.

Important! Guppies, although peaceful, but completely do not follow their offspring. If they are hungry, then without remorse can swallow fry. In this regard, if the goal is to preserve the offspring in full, it is recommended when onset of the hour “X” to plant the female in a separate container. IN even a 3-liter jar where at the bottom, it is desirable to put several bushes of algae. After termination of childbirth, she returns to the general aquarium, and fry grow separately.

Before giving birth, the abdomen becomes more square forms.

The harbinger of the onset of labor in the female – increased the abdomen is often rectangular in shape and a darker generic color spots.

Gradually, the female swallows all fry that can immediately swim and eat. Although, on the first day, their best friends become bushy algae where they get used to the new setting.

Malek on the second day of life already eats normally and freely swims in an aquarium. It’s hard to say who the female is either male. At the sight of danger (other fish), the baby immediately hides among algae

Keeping the breed clean

If several breeds are present in the aquarium, keep the breed clean, you need to carefully monitor the males and by females.

In the growing offspring, you need to plant the formed males in a separate aquarium.

As soon as males grow up, they pay the most attention to females. Often, one representative of a guppy “hunts” several males

Otherwise, they can have time to fertilize the females and breed cleanliness may be impaired. If this happened, then the form and the color inherent in this species is not saved.

On the other hand, if the goal is to develop new forms and colors, it is necessary to act differently. Breeders use various methods for producing new breeds.

But often they take three pairs, which are contained in different capacities. Separately, their offspring will also need to be kept, among which will select the best representatives for crosses.

Important! Scouts share guppy fish by sex and lodge them in different aquariums. For breeding, one is selected. the best male and female who settle in a separate small aquarium for a few weeks.

Sex of individuals is determined at the age of one month. If the temperature water above normal, then ripening is faster.

The female becomes noticeable by the presence of a birth spot (darkened area near the anal fin). The male is brighter in color, and is also distinguished by the formation of gonopodia.

Experienced breeders to avoid unnecessary spawning, and to give females have a little rest in winter, they recommend maintaining water temperature at the level of 18 ° С.

Aquarium Maintenance

The first thing you should pay attention to if in an aquarium Guppy fish swim – this is the quality of the water and the frequency of its change.

Once a week, it is necessary to replace a third of the water with fresh. You can calculate the desired volume of the aquarium based on the following proportions:

1 male = 1 liter;
1 female = 2 liters.

This data is based on the availability of a filter and system aeration.

Important! Guppy fish can jump out aquarium, so you should consider this factor and provide the presence of a cover.

This species is good because it does not damage planted plants and does not digging in the ground. For a favorable life, achieving good sizes and bright coloring they need:

the volume of the aquarium is from 30 to 50 l;
if the lid is always tightly closed (to avoid jumping out fish) required aeration;
the acidity level of the water must be maintained in the region of pH 7;
the most optimal hardness is dH 10-25 °;
if the aquarium is in a dark place, care should be taken lighting;
if the container with the fish is near the window, direct enough rays of the sun, which will fall in the morning and evening.

For this species of aquarium inhabitants, the presence of a current and spaces where they can frolic. Therefore do not need too plant the entire aquarium with algae

As plants, it is best to choose fern-shaped. They are will serve as a source of additional food, hide the female from extra attention of males.

Some aquarists are of the opinion that the tails of males will be more intimate if you do not place plants with sharp leaves, as well as decorative elements (driftwood, jugs, etc.) with sharp edges.

Guppy aquarium fish, photos of which are constantly replete with aquarium magazines, although considered to be the choice of beginners, remain the favorites of both novice fish lovers and professionals in this field.

Subject to simple rules of care, taking only one pair after a month and a half, there will be a new brood in the aquarium.